1. Field
Embodiments may relate to multi-device communications. More particularly, some embodiments are concerned with the execution of services by multiple devices to achieve a desired end.
2. Description
Many types of electronic devices are currently available to consumers. A non-exhaustive list of such devices includes desktop computers, laptop computers, mobile telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wireless email devices, and digital media players. Some of these devices are intended to provide several services (e.g., desktop computers and laptop computers), while others are associated with a “core” service (e.g., mobile telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wireless email devices, and digital media players). Regardless, most electronic devices are capable of providing two or more services.
Conventionally, most electronic devices operate in a standalone mode that does not allow for interaction with other devices. It has been desired to network these devices so that services of one device may be provided to one or more other devices. Network protocols that provide discoverable device services have therefore been proposed.
The Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) protocol has been defined by companies and individuals comprising the UPnP Forum. UPnP is designed to provide automatic discovery and efficient usage of services offered by many different types of networked devices. More particularly, a device may use UPnP to dynamically join a network, obtain an IP address, convey its services, determine the services of other devices on the network, and access the services of the other devices.
Network protocols such as UPnP allow a device to access a service of another device. However, such protocols do not provide an efficient system to access services of several devices in order to achieve a given end result. Improved management and control of shared services is therefore desired.